OnePlus keep the punches coming with the OnePlus 3

I was recently on holiday and when I returned I found that this strange contraption was waiting for me in my hallway.

Now for those of you who have followed us a for a while, you will no doubt be familiar with what this is. It is, of course, a VR headset. Why would I want this though as I have never been that big an advocate of VR?

It’s part of a 3D shopping and virtual reality experience from OnePlus and now I’m kinda getting into it more and more. This is a company that, just three years ago, told us this..

OnePlus was founded with a simple, bold idea; Make a better phone that each of us would actually want to use.

Today they’ve announced their latest model – the OnePlus 3, or the next “flagship killer”. So what do we have in-store for the next phone from OnePlus?

Well, to be honest, I am pretty taken with what I can see. The specs price that is definitely come to the ring fighting this time around. Let’s dive in and see what a mere £309 will buy you.

<u>Spec’s</u>

5.5-inch screen

1,920 x 1,080 pixel display (401ppi)

Dimensions: 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.4mm

Weight: 158 grams

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor

Adreno 530 GPU

6GB RAM

64GB storage (32GB variant may be offered in some markets)

16MP main camera

8MP selfie camera

USB-C port (Dash Charge 5V/4A)

3,000mAh battery

Fingerprint scanner

NFC

Dual-SIM

3.5mm headphone jack

Oxygen OS (Android 6.0.1)

It doesn’t really seem to have anything missing from the list there does it? It even has the often-missed (specially when we look at Chinese manufacturers) NFC.

I really like the design of the phone. It does bear a significant likeness to the HTC 10, and I don’t think that is a bad thing – that phone is beautiful. It still keeps some the novelties from the OnePlus 2 that I got on with, and it improves on a few of the weaknesses. I really like the notification slider on the left-hand side. The 1080p display has had a significant upgrade and is now an AMOLED screen like the one used on the OnePlus X. We also now see that Fast charging is on board, albeit in its own propriety method called “Dash Charge”.

From what I can discern Dash is a fast charger which puts the charging heat lower than the previous OnePlus 2. Unfortunately, it does seem that the cable is no longer flat like it was before. Oh well, I can cope without. It should be mentioned here that the phone will charge on a regular charger too….just a bit slower.

It will also comes with the latest version of the Oxygen OS in the form of the Marshmallow update that is currently being enjoyed by owners of the OnePlus 2.

I have not got much else I can tell you, but we will have few of them amongst the team by the end of the month. So, for now then feel free to have a look at the is video below. ..

INTRODUCING THE ONEPLUS 3 – IT’S ABOUT TIME

June 14, 2016

NEW YORK – June 14, 2016 – OnePlus, a global mobile technology startup, today released the OnePlus 3, its long-awaited flagship smartphone. Combining the best in technology, design and innovation, this premium device further solidifies OnePlus’ mission to build a better smartphone experience.

The OnePlus 3 offers top-of-the-line performance and inspired design, while keeping the customer at the center. The new phone features Dash Charge fast charging technology, which adds a day of power in only half an hour. It comes completely unlocked – no carrier contracts necessary, and an unlocked bootloader – to give users maximum flexibility. It is also the first OnePlus smartphone to be available for purchase at launch without an invite on OnePlus’ e-commerce site.

“We know that the best smartphone is the one that works exactly how you want it to,” said OnePlus Founder and CEO Pete Lau. “The OnePlus 3 delivers that experience. It combines what our customers already love about our products with what they want and expect next. For example, Dash Charge sets a new standard for fast charging technology. It’s a flagship smartphone inspired by – and made for – our fans.”

Dash Charge – A Day’s Power in Half an Hour

The OnePlus 3 utilizes Dash Charge technology, a faster, cooler and safer way to charge a smartphone. Unlike other quick charging technologies, Dash Charge replenishes more than 60% of the 3,000 mAh battery in 30 minutes and continues fast charging even when streaming video or playing energy-intensive games. This is made possible by leveraging a large electric current for stable, consistent charging speeds. In addition, Dash Charge carries more current than other charging solutions, and at lower temperatures, by shifting the power management process from the phone itself to the Dash Charge adapter, so a vast majority of the heat generated while charging never reaches the device. Along with five custom safety measures in place to safeguard the adaptor, cable and phone itself, users can charge their OnePlus 3 as fast as possible without worry.

Smart Capture – High-quality Photos and Easy Selfies

The 16 MP rear camera on the OnePlus 3 provides better imaging with incredible detail and clarity. OnePlus’ exclusive suite of imaging technologies, Smart Capture, allows users to effortlessly capture the ideal shot in any environment. Smart Capture functionalities include HD Mode, Auto HDR and Dynamic De-noise, which compares several frames of the same photo and blends them together in post-processing to reduce noise. The OnePlus 3 also includes our new Smile Capture feature, allowing you to take a photo using the front-facing 8 MP camera simply by smiling – a seamless solution for selfies.

Dual-stabilization technologies – Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) – help reduce blur, ensuring photos come out as planned. For the most discerning photography enthusiast, the robust manual mode offers the benefits of a DSLR, including support of RAW image files, in one lightweight device.

Premium Design – Elegantly Curved Aluminum Unibody

The design of the OnePlus 3 takes aesthetics, quality and usability to a new level. The all-metal unibody, carved from a single slab of space-grade aluminum alloy, makes for a seamless, resilient build, while the balance of soft curves against sharp lines creates a striking impression and comfortable grip. At 7.3 mm, the OnePlus 3 is one of the thinnest flagships ever. The stunning 5.5-inch 1080p Optic AMOLED display, with one of the world’s thinnest bezels, produces colors that are more vivid and true-to-life than ever before – even in bright sunlight – thanks to a dual-polarizing layer.

Available in two striking color variants – Graphite and Soft Gold – the OnePlus 3 is an inspiring device to hold.

Fast, Powerful, Customizable

The OnePlus 3 was designed to deliver maximum performance. Packing the new quad-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor (up to 2.2 GHz), the OnePlus 3 performs tasks 35% faster than the OnePlus 2 and features a 40% boost in graphical power – all at a fraction of the power consumption.

The device also sets a new standard in smartphone memory. The OnePlus 3 boasts 6 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, allowing for next-level multitasking without delay or lag and ensuring it can handle the most demanding apps. The OnePlus 3 also features an improved, more durable ceramic fingerprint sensor that improves accuracy with increased use. Offering the ability to unlock the device in under 0.3 seconds, even from a sleeping screen, users can access their phone faster and more accurately.

Our custom operating system, OxygenOS, offers a fast, clean, customizable and bloat-free operating system based on Android Marshmallow. With off-screen gestures and customizable capacitive hardware and software buttons built in, the OnePlus 3 allows customers to personalize their smartphone experience.

The unlocked OnePlus 3 never ties you down to a carrier. Customers can have more control over connectivity with the ability to choose from a wide band of support for service providers across the globe. Additionally, with dual Nano SIM card support, the OnePlus 3 can connect to two networks with ease.

Pricing & Availability

The OnePlus 3 will be available on oneplus.net immediately following the launch on June 14 for USD 399, EUR 399 and GBP 309. Additionally, fans can see for themselves how the OnePlus 3 is creating a better smartphone experience by visiting one of four pop up stores located in New York, London, Paris and Berlin on June 15, 2016.

About OnePlus

OnePlus is a global startup challenging conventional concepts of technology. Created around the “Never Settle” mantra, OnePlus creates exquisitely designed devices with premium build quality and high performance hardware. OnePlus thrives on cultivating strong bonds and growing together with its community of users and fans. For more information, please visit oneplus.net.